Felling machine for seaming fabric sections



Jan. 15, 1935. c s THOMPSON 1,988,400

fiBTILTNG MACHTNF OR SEAMING ABRIC SEC"[IO1' IS Filed Sept 19. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FELLTNG MACHTNFi FOR SEAMTNG FABRTC SECTIONS Filed Septfl 19, 1932 4 SheetsSheet 2 C. S. THOMPSON FELLING MACHINE FOR SEAMING FABRIC SECTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 15, 1935.

Filed Sept. 19, 1932 Jan. 15, 1935. c. s. THOMPSON 1,988,400

FELLING MACHINE FOR SEAMING FABRIC SECTIONS Filed Sept. 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented .Fan. 15, 1935 PATEN OFFICE FELLING MACHINE FOE SEAMING FABRIC SECTIONS Charles S. Thompson, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111. a corporation of Illinois Application September 19, 1932, Serial No. 633,899

16 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for joining fabric sections by a stitched felled seam.

An object of the invention is to provide a felling machine with a feeding means arranged so that both the top and bottom plies of the fabric sections will be independently gripped and moved, and in the same manner with a resultant even feed of both fabric sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism for a machine of the above type whereby the interfolded fabric sections are fed so as to overcome any stretching of the fabric sections through a retarding action of the feed, the needles or the folding guide.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism for a machine of the above type wherein the throat plate and presser members are provided with cooperating devices contacting with the interfolded fabric sections for guiding the same during stitching.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the fabric sections are fed from a folder to and past the stitching devices in their normal interfolded position without distortion.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed. I

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view of a part of a machine embodying the invention and showing the presser members, folder and feed in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in end elevationof the work supporting arm, the throat plate, the feed dog and the presser members cooperating with the feed dog;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fi Fig. 3a is a vertical sectional view looking from the front through the forward section;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the presser foot;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the presser foot, but showing only one thickness of fabric to illustrate the action of the feed dogthereon;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the feed dog'; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the feed dog; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the throat plate, Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a felled seam. Fig. 11 is a detail in section showing a slightly modified form of feed dog.

The invention has to do with a machine for uniting fabric sections to form a felled seam. In forming the felled seam, two fabric sections are directed through the guide which underfolds the edge portion of one section and overfolds the edge portion of the other section, and at the same time interfolds the same. These interfolded sections are joined by lines of stitching. The machine as illustrated is provided with a work supporting arm, off from the end of which the fabric sections are fed as they are stitched. The stitching mechanism includes a plurality of needles and a looper cooperating with each needle for forming independent lines of stitching. The material is drawn through the folder placed in front of the stitching devices and fed to and from the needles by a feeding mechanism which includes a four-motion feed dog operating through slots in the throat plate carried by the work supporting arm. The material is held on the work support by a presser foot which includes two fabric engaging sections operating in tandem. The throat plate is provided with a raised portion at the side of the felled seam which is formed on the ma-. chine so that it engages the under fabric section at the fold therein for the guiding of the interfolded parts. The presser foot has a portion thereof depending below the main plane of the foot which engages the upper fabric section at the fold therein for the guiding of the same. The feed dog extends laterally beyond the interfolded parts. The presser foot cooperates with a section of the feed dog for gripping the under fabric section without bending the said section. In other words, the plane of action of the feed dog and the presser foot is substantially in the plane of the fabric section. The feed dog at the other side has a raised portion, and the presser foot a part cooperating therewith so that the upper fabric section is gripped without bending the same. The plane of action of this section of the feed dog and the presser foot is on a higher level and is substantially in the plane of the upper fabric section. This produces an efiicient means for guiding the fabric sections and prevents any distortion or displacement of the fabric sections during the feeding thereof. The feed dog in front of the needles has its teeth operating on a higher level than those in rear of the needles so that the fabric sections are first engaged by these advance teeth of the feed dog which crowds the fabric so as to overcome any stretching action, due to the retarding of the movemen of the fabric sections by the folder, the needles or the feed. The presser member has a channel extending therethrough, which, in the forward section, is of slightly greater depth than the thickness of the interfolded portions of the fabric sections, so that the-fabric sections at the fold therein are not gripped and compacted so as to prevent the free entrance of the needles therethrough, and so asto permit free feeding of the fabric sections without undue wear or strain on the operating parts of the machine.

It is thought the invention will be better understood by a detail description of the illustrated embodiment thereof.

The sewing machine includes a supporting base 1 which extends upwardly in the form of a standard 2 having an overhanging portion supporting an upper horizontal member 3 in which the main operatingshaft is located. The belt wheel of the main operating shaft is indicated at 4. Carried by this upper horizontal member is a needle head 5. Also carried by the upper horizontal member 3 is a suspended work arm 6. The machine illustrated in part isof the type shown in the patent granted Norman V. Christensen et al., December 24, 1929, No. 1,741,095, and further description of this type of machine is not thought necessary.

Mounted for reciprocation in the needle head 5 is a needle bar 7 carrying, as shown, three needles, 8, 9 and 10. Cooperating with each needle beneath the work support is a looper, one of which is shown in side view at 11 in Fig. 2. These loopers are mounted on a shaft 12 and are of the usual construction. The three needles form three independent lines of stitching. In Fig. 10, the two fabric sections which are to be joined are indicated at F and F. The upper fabric section F is provided with a fold I, while the under fabric section F is'p rovided with a. fold I. These folded portions are interfolded, as clearly shown in the drawings. The three lines of stitching are indicated at a, band 0. This is the usual type of felled seam. Instead of three lines of stitching for uniting the interfolded parts, two may be used, or a greater number. The invention has to do particularly with the manner of feeding and guiding the interfolded fabric portions.

Mounted on the supporting arm 6 is a folder 13 which is of the usual type. It receives the two fabric sections and gradually underfolds one section and overfolds the other section and interfolds the same, delivering the interfolded fabric sections beneath the presser foot for the stitching of the same. Mounted on the work supporting arm is a throat plate 14. This throat plate 14 is provided with a raised portion 15 at one side thereof. Said raised portion extends above the plane of the throat plate a distance substantially equal to the thickness of three plies of the fabric sections being stitched. This provides a vertical guiding wall 16 which is adapted to contact with the fold in the lower fabric section F and thus guide the interfolded portions of the fabric sections (see Figures 2 and 3). The throat plate is provided with a feed slot 17 in this raised portion. It isalso provided with a feedslot 18 at the other side thereof and a series of central feed slots 19. The throat plate is provided with the usual sections containing the needle slots 3a, 9a and a through which the needles 8, 9 and 10, respectively, operate. The feed dog 20 is provided with a raised section 21 which operates in the slot 17. It is provided with a section 22 which operates in the slot 18. The feed dog is provided with a series of short feeding sections located in front of the needles and operating through the slots 19, and it is likewise provided with a series of feeding sections 24 operating in rear of the needles and working through the slots 19. The

upper face of the feed dog section 21 lies in a plane which is above the plane of the upper face of the feed dog section 22 a distance substan-- tially equal to the depth of three plies of fabric. This enables the raised section to project through the raised portion of thethroat plate. The gripping feeding action of the raised section 21 on the upper ply of fabric is the same as the gripping feeding action of the section 22 on the lower ply of fabric. It has been customary in the forming of a felled seam to use a feed dog wherein the feed dog teeth all operate in the same horizontal plane, and therefore, the upper fabric section was necessarily bent down into contact with the feed dog by the presser foot. This not only distorted and disturbed the feeding action, but it was also liable to mark the material. By raising the feed dog section which contacts with the upper fabric section and also the throat plate which supports it during the idle movement of,

the feed dog, this upper fabric section is not bent, but lies substantially in the plane of the fabric section, which plane contains the upper ply of the interfolded parts.

When the machine is used for felling heavy fabric sections, such as are used in the constructionof overalls or the like, the folder produces more or less of aretarding action on the free movement of the fabric sections. In other words, the fabric sections are drawn through the folder by the feed, and this is likely to slightly stretch the fabric sections. Likewise, when the foot operates upon the fabric sections, there is more or less of aretarding action thereon, and likewise, with the needles. In order to overcome this stretching action so that the fabrics may be stitched in their normal relation without stretching, the forward portion of the section 21 is provided with teeth 21 which are raised above the teeth 21 The same is true of the feed dog section 22, The teeth 22 at the forward end thereof are raised above the teeth at the rear portion of this feeding section. The teeth 23 are likewise raised above the teeth 24 at the rear of the feed dog. The entire fabric engaging portion of the feed dog extending from the front to a point well in rear of the needles is raised. When the feed dog is moved upward so as to contact with the fabric section for the feeding of the same, these forward teeth of the feed dog will engage the fabric before the teeth at the rear of the feed dog engage the fabric. Inasmuch as the feed dog moves in an elliptical path, so that it is on its feeding stroke while moving upward, the fabric sections are fed to the stitching mechanism at a little greater rate of movement than away from the stitching mechanism. This fulling in or feeding of the fabric sections faster in front of the needle, overcomes the stretching action which has been referred to.

The arrangement of the feed teeth on the feed dog accomplishes two distinct advantages. One is the even feeding of the two fabric sections. due to the similar gripping and feeding movement applied to the respective fabric sections, with the result that the two fabric sections will be fed to the same extent and will be even at the ends of the same. The other advantage is the feeding in of the fabric sections slightly faster than they are carried away from the stitching mechanism. so as to overcome the stretching action and the eeenoo fabric in the resultant seam is in normal condition and not stretched.

Cooperating with the feed dog is a presser member which is, as shown, formed in two sections. These two sections are arranged in tandem. The front section is indicated at and the rear section at 26. Both of these fabric engaging sections are carried by a lever 27 which is pivoted at 28 to yoke arms 29 carried by the sleeve 30 which is attached to the presser bar 31 of the machine. The presser bar is yieldingly moved downward in the usual manner, and the spring means associated therewith has not been illustrated.

The lever 27 is provided at its forward end with yoke arms 27 27 The section 25 of the presser foot has upstanding lugs 32 which are pivoted to these yoke arms 2'7 by pivot pins 33. These pivot pins are in alinement and provide a means whereby the foot section is pivotally supported on the lever so that it may tilt about the pivotal connection therewith. The yoke arms 29 carried by the sleeve 30 are spaced from each other, and the lever 27 lies between these arms and there is a pivot stud 28 joining the arms to the lever and thus forming a pivotal connection 28 between the lever and the yoke arms 29. The lever has a shank portion 34. The section 26 of the presser foot is provided with upstanding lugs spaced from each other, and the shank 34 lies between these lugs. A pivot rod 35 passes through the lugs and the shank and thus pivotally supports the section 26 so that it may tilt on its pivotal connection. The section 26 of the presser foot has an upwardly curved toe portion 36. A spring 37 bears on the toe of the section 26. This spring is rigidly secured to the shank 34 by a clamping screw 37 The spring is continually urging the forward end of the presser foot downward, and the tilting movement of the presser foot on the shank, when it is otherwise unrestrained, is limited by the contact of the shank with the presser foot at the rear side thereof.

The lever 27 has a rectangular boss 38 at the rear end thereof. This boss lies between two guiding arms 39 and 40 which are attached to the needle head and serve to guide the presser foot, at the same time permitting the free upand down movement of the presser foot. There is a spring 41 attached at 42 to the lever and at 43 to the sleeve 30. This spring normally turns the lever, when otherwise unrestrained, in a clockwise direction, and the movement of the lever is limited by contact with the yoke arms 29.

The section 25 of the presser foot has an upturned toe 25 beneath which the interfolded fabric sections are fed. Said section 25 is provided with needle openings 44, 44, through which the respective needles pass. This section is also provided with a channel 45 in its under face, which extends likewise along the under face of the toe portion 25 The channel in the foot section 25 is of a slightly greater depth than the thickness of the four plies of fabric interfolded to form the felled seam. .This permits the presser foot section 46 to contact with the upper face of the fabric section F and cooperate with the feed section 21 and the throat plate section 15. The section 47 of the presser foot will contact with the fabric section F and will cooperate with the feed section 22 of the feed dog and the throat plate at the sides of the slot 18 for the clamping and feeding of the fabric section F. This channel in the presser foot section 25 relieves the pressure on the interfolded fabric sections and allows free feeding of the same through independent gripping of each fabric section in the manner described above. When the fabric sections which are interfolded are not compacted by the presser foot, the needles will. penetrate the material with greater ease, and the stitches can be set into the material deeper. At the same time, there is sufficient resistance to form the needle loops on the upstroke of the needle, so that there is no skipping vof stitches.

The rear section 26 of the presser foot is provided with a channel 48 which is of greater depth than the channel in the forward section. This channel in the rear section 26 is of a depth substantially equal to the thickness of a double felled crotch seam, and is widened sufficiently so as to straddle such a seam. The side walls of this channel 48 are inclined slightly to give clearance for the cross seam. At one side of the channel is a section 46 which engages the fabric section F adjacent the felled seam and cooperates with the feeding means in the feeding of the same. At the other side of the channel there is a foot portion 47 which engages the fabric section F and also cooperates with the feeding means in the feeding of the fabric sections.

In the forming of a garment, it is necessary at certain times that a cross felled seam pass beneath the presser foot. The tilting of the forward section permits it to ride over the cross seam. The rear end of this forward section of the foot will bear on the fabric in rear of the cross seam, as the stitching approaches the cross seam, and the forward section will bear on the fabric sections in front of the cross seam as it passes away from the stitching point. The same is true of the rear section. It tilts so as to ride up on to and over the cross seam. Furthermore, the front section of the presser foot canmove bodily upward as the cross seam passes underneath the same without disturbing the rear section. The spring 41 will yield and allow the front section to'rise as the cross seam passes beneath the same. The rear section of the presser foot likewise may rise bodily and permit the cross seam to pass beneath the same without disturbing the position of the forward section of the presser foot.

It is not always necessary to feed the fabric in front of the needles faster to prevent stretching. In operating upon certain characters of fabric, a feed dog may be used which does not have the raised portions at the forward end. In Fig. 11 of the drawings, a feed dog 20 is shown cooperating with the presser members 25 and 26, wherein the teeth of the feed dog from front to rear are on the same level. The throat plate, however, is constructed exactly as shown in Fig. 9, and the presser foot members are constructed exactly as shown and described in Figs. 2, 3, and 3a. The raised portion on the throat plate will guide the interfolded fabric sections and the gripping of the upper fabric section will be accomplished without bending of the same.

From the above it will be apparent that regardless of whether the feed dog has a raised section at the forward end, a felling machine has been provided wherein there is an even feed of both the top and bottom plies so that ends come out even without requiring the operator to hold back on the bottom ply. When the raised portion is used on the feed dog, the seam which is produced is not stretched but in its finished form is the same length as any section through the garment,

even when operating upon fabric sections which are more or less of a stretchy nature. Cross seams will pass through the machine without efiort and without any retarding of the movement of the fabric sections which results in shortening of the stitches. The margins of the seams are even and straight, due to the guided shoulder at the right hand side of the throat plate and at the left hand side of the presser foot. Furthermore, the relieving of the strain due to the passing of a cross seam and the excessive pressure on the interfolded parts of the fabric sections compacting the same by the deepening of the channels in the presser foot. greatly relieves the stress on the machine parts, thus producing freer feeding movement and easier operation of the machine.

While the invention isshown-as applied to a sewing machine having a presser foot formed in two sections arranged in tandem, it will be understood that from the broad aspect of the invention, a single presser foot may be used having the feaures of construction which have been described in detail above. It will also be understood that changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is v 1. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, stitch forming devices for uniting lapped fabric sections, a feeding means, a presser member cooperating with the feeding means. said feeding means and cooperating presser member being provided with fabric engaging and grippingmembers disposed at opposite sides of and adjacent the lapped fabric'sections, said cooperating gripping members at one side of said lapped sections being elevated above the cooperating gripping members at the other side and disposed so as to grip the fabric sections adjacent the lapped sections without bending said sections.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, a feeding means, and a presser member cooperating with said feeding means, said feeding means and cooperating presser member being provided with fabric engaging and gripping members disposed at opposite sides of and adjacent the interfolded fabric parts, said cooperating gripping members at one side of said interfolded fabric parts being elevated above the cooperating gripping members at the other side and disposed so as to grip the fabric sections adjacent the interfolded parts without bending said sections. A

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding. fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, a. feeding means, and a presser member cooperating with said feeding means, said feeding means and cooperating presser member being provided with fabric engaging and gripping members disposed at opposite sides of and adjacent the interfolded fabric parts, said cooperating gripping members at one side of said interfolded fabric parts being elevated above the cooperating gripping members at the other side and disposed so as to grip the fabric sections adjacent the interfolded parts without bending said sections, said fabric engaging and gripping members of said feeding means having the feeding face thereof in advance of the stitching devices raised above the feeding face of said fabric feeding and gripping members in rear of the stitching devices.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, a feeding means, and a presser member cooperating with said feeding means, said feeding means including a feed dog having sections for independently engaging the fabric sections which are interfolded, and said presser member having gripping sections adapted to engage the respective fabric sections directly above said feed dog sections, said feed dog sections and cooperating section of the presser member at one side of the interfolded fabric sections being raised so as to grip the upper fabric section without bending the same.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, a feeding means, and a presser member cooperating with said feeding means, said feeding means and c operating presser member being constructed so that the interfolded sections are gripped at opposite sides of and adjacent the interfolded parts and uniformly fed to the stitching devices, said feeding means including a feed dog having the feeding face thereof in advance of the stitching devices raised above the feeding face of the feed dog in rear of the stitching devices.

6. In a sewing machine, the-combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said presser member having a depending portion forming a guiding wall for one side of the felled seam, and said throat plate having a raised portion forming a guiding wall for the other side of said felled seam.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said presser member having a depending portion forming a guiding wall for one side of the felled seam, and said throat plate having a raised portion forming a guiding wall for the other side of said felled seam, said depending section and said raised section forming guiding walls having a height substantially equal to three plies of the interfolded sections.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said presser member having a depending portion forming a guiding wall for one side of the felled seam, and said throat plate having a raised portion forming a guiding wall for the other side of said felled seam, said presser member having a channel in its under face extending substantially the width of the felled seam and of a depth slightly greater than the thickness of the fabric sections forming the felled seam, whereby the fabric sections are relieved from excessive pressure in the region of stitching.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of. a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a pressure member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said presser member having a depending portion forming a guiding wall for one side of the felled seam, and said throat plate having a raised portion forming a guiding wall for the other side of said felled seam, said depending section and said raised section forming guiding walls having a height substantially equal to three plies of the interfolded sections, said presser member having a channel in its under face substantially the width of the felled seam and of a depth slightly greater than the thickness of the fabric sections forming the felled seam, whereby the fabric sections are relieved from excessive pressure in the region of stitching.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical guiding face adapted to engage and guide one side of thefelled seam, said raised portion being of a height substantially equal tothe thickness of three plies of fabric, so that the upper fabric section will be supported on said raised portion without bending, said feed dog having a raised section operating through the raised portion of the throat plate for contacting with the fabric section at one side of the interfolded portions, and said presser member having portions cooperating with the feed dog and gripping the respective fabric sections at the sides of the interfolded parts against the throat plate and the feed dog during the feed cycle.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means forinterfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical guiding face adapted to engage and guide one side of the felled seam, said raised portion being of a height substantially equal to the thickness of three plies of'fabric, so that the upper fabric section will be supported on said raised portion without bending, said feed dog having a raised section operating through the raised portion of the throat plate for contacting with the fabric section at one side of the interfolded portions, and said presser member having portions cooperating with the feed dog and gripping the respective fabric sections at the sides of the interfolded parts, against the throat plate and the feed dog during the feed cycle, said presser member having a channel of a width corresponding to the width of the felled seam and of a depth slightly greater than the thickness of the interfolded fabric sections.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical guiding face adapted to engage and guide one side of the felled seam, said raised portion being of a height substantially equal to the thickness of three plies of fabric, so that the upper fabric section will be supported on said raised portion without bending, said feed dog having a raised section operating through the raised portion of the throat plate for contacting with the fabric section at one side of the interfolded portions, and said presser member having portions cooperating with the feed dog and gripping the respective fabric sections at the sides of the interfolded parts against the throat plate and the feed dog during the feed cycle, said feed dog in front of the stitching devices having raised portions for engaging and feeding the fabric sections to the needle slightly faster than for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical wall for guiding one side of the felled seam and a slot through which the section of the feed dog passes for engagement with the upper fabric section, said presser member including two fabric engaging sections arranged in tandem, each of which is shaped so as to contact with the respective fabric sections at all times at opposite sides of the felled seam, and cooperate with the feed dog and the throat plate in the feeding and holding of the fabric sections, each presser foot section having a channel in its under face of greater depth than the combined thicknesses of the interfolded fabric sections.

14. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical wall for guiding one side of the felled seam and a slot through which the section of the feed dog passes for engagement with the upper fabric section, said presser member including two fabric engaging sections arranged in tandem, each of which is shaped so as to contact with the respective fabric sections at all times at opposite sides of the felled seam, and cooperate with the feed dog and the throat plate in the feeding and holding of the fabric sections, said front section of the presser member having a channel in its under face of substantially the same width of the felled seam andof slightly greater depth than the thicknesses of the interfolded fabric sections so as to permit free movement of the fabric sections through the channel.

15. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, means for interfolding fabric sections to form a felled seam, stitching devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, said work support having a throat plate provided with feed slots, a feed dog having sections operating in said-slots of the throat plate, a presser member cooperating with the feed dog and throat plate, said throat plate having a raised portion forming a vertical wall for guiding one side of the felled seam, and a slot through which the section of the feed dog passes for engagement with the upper fabric section, said presser member including two fabric engaging sections arranged in tandem, each of which is shaped so as to contact with the respective fabric sections at all times at opposite sides of the felled seam, and cooperate with the feed dog and the throat plate in the feeding and holding of the fabric sections, said rear section tions to form a felled seam, stitch forming devices for uniting the interfolded fabric sections, feeding means, a presser member cooperating with said feeding means in the region of the stitching devices, said feeding means and cooperating presser member being provided with fabric engaging and gripping members disposed at opposite sides of and adjacent the lapped fabric sections, said 00- operating gripping members at one side of said lapped sections being elevated above the corresponding gripping members at the other side and disposed so as to grip the fabric sections adjacent the lapped sections without bending said sections, and a presser member located in the rear of the first-named presser member and cooperating ith said feeding mechanism to aid in the feeding of the fabric sections.

CHARLES S. THOMPSON. 

